Climbing device enabling ascension and descension of tree trunks, masts, poles and the like



H. SCHNEEBELI CLIMBING DEVICE ENABLING ASCEN Feb. 26, 1963 ETAL 3,078,951

SION AND DESCENSION OF TREE TRUNKS, MASTS, POLES AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 28, 1960 United States Patent 3,078,951 CLIMBING DEVICE ENABLING ASCENSION AND DESCENSION 0F TREE TRUNKS, MASTS, POLES AND THE LIKE Hans Schneebeli, Feldmeilen, and Fritz Volz, Zollikerberg, Switzerland, assignors to H. Schneebeli & Co., Zurich, Switzerland, a firm The present invention relates to climbing devices for ascending tree-trunks, masts, poles or the like. It is an object of the invention to provide a climbing device which can be readily adapted to objects of large and small diameter.

With this and other objects in view which will become apparent later from this specification and the accompanying drawing, we provide a climbing device comprising in combination: a support, a foot plate fixedly arranged at the lower end of said support, a head piece detachably mounted in pivotal manner at the upper end of the said support, and a strap attached to the said piece and adapted to be wrapped round the object to be climbed.

The said strap preferably consists of a resilient material such as rubber or a synthetic substance reinforced by fabric inserts.

In further accordance with the invention, a contact plate adapted for contacting the object to be climbed is pivotally mounted on the said support, and is provided with at least one rubber buffer extending in the longitudinal direction of the said contact plate.

A resilient rubber strap is preferably detachably attached to the said support below the said contact plate and designed to engage the hollow of the knee of the person using the said device.

In still further accordance with the invention a springloaded pin is housed in the said support to contact the said contact plate and exert a force thereon tending to pivot the contact plate about its pivot axis.

These and other features of our present invention will be clearly understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof given by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a device according to the invention,

FIGS. 2 and 3 are sections taken along the lines II--II and IIIIII, respectively, of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 a vertical section on the line IV-IV of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 a perspective view of a head piece for a tree trunk of large diameter,

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the device showing the manner of use of the climbing device according to the invention.

Two identical climbing devices as illustrated in FIG. 1 are used in practice simultaneously, each device being attached to the leg of a person. Apart from the length of the supports the devices for both legs are designed alike, so that hereinafter one single device is referred to and its use described.

The climbing device illustrated comprises a support 1 of light metal or a light metal alloy, which carries at its lower end a fixedly arranged foot plate 2 (FIGS. 1 and 3). This foot plate carries straps 3 and 4-, which are adjustable in length and which straps are placed over the shoe of the user and tightened.

At its upper end the support 1 carries a head piece 5 which is detachable and pivotal relative to the support 1. The head piece 5 is pivoted about a detachable threaded bolt 6. An extension 7 of the head piece protrudes rearwardly beyond bolt 6 and supports one end of a tension spring 8, the other end of spring 8 is held by a screw 9.

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Spring 8 tends to turn the head piece 5 clockwise about the axle 6.

The head piece 5 has a guide 12 for a strap 10, one end of which is fixedly connected to the head piece by means of rivets 11, while the free end can be pushed through the said guide 12 and secured therein by means of clamping screw 13. The length of the loop formed by said strap may be adjusted within wide limits by unscrewing the clamping screw, adjusting the strap and re-tightening the clamping screw, so as to be adapted to the diameter of the object to be climbed. The use of a strap of rubber or synthetic materials preferably reinforced by fabric inserts has the advantage that it fits well to the object to be climbed and does not damage the object to be climbed as for example a tree.

The head-piece described, and illustrated in the FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 6, may be removed by unscrewing the screw 6, and replaced by the head piece 14 illustrated in FIG. 5. The attachment and positioning of this headpiece 14 is effected in exactly the same manner as that of headpiece 5 described hereinabove. Instead of a rubber strap Ill however a steel strip (not shown) is provided, one end of which is connected to a packet of leaf springs, and the free end of which can be fixed by a clamping lever 16 in accordance with the length of loop desired. While the head-piece according to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 is particularly suited for the climbing of tree branches, the head piece according to FIG. 5 may be used with advantage for the climbing of trees having large trunk diameters.

Below the head piece 5 or 14, respectively, the support 1 carries a contact plate 19 on an arm 18 which plate is provided with two rubber buffers 20 extending in the longitudinal direction of the said plate. The contact plate is pivotally connected to the arm 18, namely by a pin 21. A spring-loaded pin 22 arranged in a bore 23 of the arm 18 tends to turn the plate 19* about the pin 21 in a clockwise direction.

Below the arm 18, a rubber strap 24 is attached at one end to the support 1. The free end of this rubber strap, the length of which is adjustable in a conventional manner, is attachable to an eyelet provided on a lug 25. Rubber strap 24 is designed to be placed over the hollow of the knee of the person using the device. Thereby an effective and yet resilient connection of the calf of the person with the support 1 is established and thereby the maneuvering of the device by the calf is facilitated.

By the use of two of the devices described (see FIG. 6) it is possible quickly and safely to ascend and descend from trees as well as round or oval masts.

While we have described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawing a typical and particularly useful embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that applicants do not limit the invention to the particular details and dimensions described and illustrated since obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A device adapted for permitting the climbing of an elongated member, the device comprising: a support, a foot plate fixedly coupled to the support, a head piece detachably and pivotably connected to the support, a strap coupled to the head piece and adapted for being wrapped around the elongated member, a contact plate pivotably connected to said support between said head piece and said foot plate and adapted for contacting the elongated member, and a spring loaded pin in said support and contacting said contact plate to exert a force thereon tending to pivot said contact plate relative to said support.

2. A climbing device as claimed in claim 1, comprising a resilient rubber strap detachably attached to the said support below the said Contact plate and adapted for engaging the hollow of the knee of the person using the said device.

References Cited. in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 755,809 Stoolfiie vM211. 29, 1904 1,185g404 Hughes et a1. 7 e. May 30, 1916 2,807,400 Rolfsn leyer Sept. 24, 1957 OTHER REFERENCES Popular-Science, September 1960, p. 59.

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1. A DEVICE ADAPTED FOR PERMITTING THE CLIMBING OF AN ELONGATED MEMBER, THE DEVICE COMPRISING: A SUPPORT, A FOOT PLATE FIXEDLY COUPLED TO THE SUPPORT, A HEAD PIECE DETACHABLY AND PIVOTABLY CONNECTED TO THE SUPPORT, A STRAP COUPLED TO THE HEAD PIECE AND ADAPTED FOR BEING WRAPPED AROUND THE ELONGATED MEMBER, A CONTACT PLATE PIVOTABLY CONNECTED TO SAID SUPPORT BETWEEN SAID HEAD PIECE AND SAID FOOT PLATE AND ADAPTED FOR CONTACTING THE ELONGATED MEMBER, AND A SPRING LOADED PIN IN SAID SUPPORT AND 